Cleaning tool



Feb. 7, 1928. v 1,658,706

W. F. CARROTT CLEANING TOOL Filed May 28, 1924 9% I @NVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS ill -l ll n. it,

wrnnrnra :ennnnnron censors", or osnnosn, Wisconsin.

onnaririve 'rooL.

Application filed May serial no. rise 2i.

conform to any standard design. in Fig ure .1 this comiection comprises a screwthreaded member 5 projecting from he end of the handle member 2 and having :hreaded engagement in a socket formed in the handle member The outer end ot the handle member 3 is provided with a lateral extension 6 preferably curved in the form of a sickle and cre cent shaped cross section, as shown in Figure 2, thereby forming scraping edges 7 and 8which are suiiiciently sharp to read- 1 ily remove foreign matter from the surface of the tongue without being of such sharpness as to cut or injure the tissues. The curved portiono ispreterably connected with the handle member 3 by a goose-necked shank 9. i

The free end of the curved scraping portion 6 is preferably tapered and flattened to t'orm by its converging sides a generally wedge-shaped or pointed extremity 10 adapted to enter spaces between the teeth on the inner side in substantially the same man nor that a tooth pick is applied to such spaces from the outer side. W hen a tooth brush is properly used the bristles are quite effective to clean matter from bet the teeth on the outer side, but it is dilhcult 'to apply the bristles etlectively to the inner side and trequently the crevices are not properly cleaned. i

To clean the tongue the curved portion 6 is applied to the upper surface of the tongue in a transverse position thereon and drawn toward the tip of the tongue in such a manner that one of the scraping edges 7 or 8 will remove foreign matter from said surface, not only cleaning the surface but. open ing the pores, stimulating circulation, and promoting the natural secretions which tend to sterilize or destroy disease germs or bacteriological growths. By forming the curved portion 6 as a. crescent in cross sectlO1"l,I constitute a hollow space or recess like the bowl of a spoon longitudinally of the said portion 6 and between the scraping edges 7 and 8 thereof, which hollow space serves as a receptacle in which the impuriremoved from the tongue are collected and retained more etlectively while the instrument is withdrawn from the mouth. This feature of the construction is advantageous, in that such impuritiesare held so that liability to drip from the spoon lily lHE'Qlll-lOll relates to improvements in cleaning tools for the tongue and teeth.

l have discoverd that owing to the char a of the uppsurface or the tongue con siderable quantit ct foreign matter or inaterlals accu late thereon, and that it is just as imp itant in asanitary standpoint to clean the tongue it is to clean the teeth, and that where the teeth alone are cleaned they are quickly re-iniected by the tongue unless the latter is also cleaned. Material accumulating on the upper surface of the tongue become carrier iior microbes and bacteria, and as the tongue becomes infected, conditions which promote disease progressively and rapidly develop, the tongue itseltt becoming incapable or eliminating the polsons or bacteriological growths which lind lodgement thereon.

The object of my invention is to provide a tool whereby the tongue and teeth may be ell'ectively freed from these accumulations and kept in a healthy condition.

lln its preferred embodiment, my inven tion is associated with a tooth brush and used in connection with the brush for cleaning teeth and in association with the brush handle for cleaning the tongue.

In the drawings: t

Figure l is a side elevation of a tooth brush provided with a tongue cleaning attachment constructed in accordance with my invention. I

Figure 2 is a sectional view drawn on line of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail isometric view or" the tip of the tongue cleaning member severed from the body portion on line 3-8 of Figure 1. y

Figure l is a detail similar to Figure 8 showing a rounded point.

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing a slight modification, whereby the tongue cleaning portion or attachment may be folded when not in use.

Figure 6 is a View of the same in folded position.

Figure 7 is a cross section on line *t"? of Figure 6.

Like parts are identified by the same ref erence characters throughout he several views.

In Figures 1, 2, and 3 the brush 1 may be assumed to represent any ordinary tooth brush, of which the handle portion 2 will till ti l

loo

is eliminated, anddiscomfort to the user is avoided.

It will, of course, be understood that if desired this tongue cleaning device may be used independentl instead of being used as an attachment for a tooth brush, but when used as an attachl'i'ien't the use of the tooth brush suggests the use of the tongue cleaning tool and of the tooth cleaning tip of the scraping'niember, andthe toolis less likely to be mislaid or lost.

deterring to Figures 5, 6, andT, it will be observed that the tooth brush member 2 has a substantially flat upper surface provided with V-shaped depressions 12'and 13 in its upper surface. The handle member :3, waieh carries the curved tongue scraping a no (5,hasa flat under surface provided with a V-shaped rib 'lladapted to engage in either of the depressions 12 or 13. The member 3 is pivotally connected to the member'Q by a pivot pin 15 midway be tween the depressions 12 or 13,whe1eby the handlenneinber 3 may be anchored in either the extended position as shown iii-Figure or in a folded position as shown in. Figure 6. In the folded position the curved portion 6 extends over the end of the hruslrand protects the latter when the device is stored. This form of construction, of course, facilitates storing the combined brush and tongue cleaner" in a receptacle adapted to be carried in a garment pocket or in a storage receptacle adapted to be carried in hand bags, valises, etc.

1. A cleaning device for the tongue and teeth, comprising the combination with, a handle portion of a laterally extending curved arm having a scraping edgeadapted'to remove foreign matter from the tongue when drawn longitudinally of the tongue along its upper surface, the laterally extending curved arm narrowing transversely to its outer extren'iity whereby the scraping edges converge to a pointed extremity adapted to be engaged between proximal teeth.

2. A cleaning device of the character described comprising in combination a handle including folding sections, a tooth brush at the outer end of one ot' said sections-and a curved laterally extending arm at the outer end of the other of said sections, saidsections arranged to be folded tor locating said arm in transverse position outside said brush for protecting saidbrush.

3. A cleaning device oi? the character described, coliiprising a handle provided with a laterally extendingarni adapted to remoretoreign inatteriroin the tongue the said arm being provided with scraping edges between such edges :ior retain ing the matter so removed while the device is being withdrawn from the mouth. 4. A cleaning device of the character described, comprising a handle provided" with a laterally extendingeurved ann provided with scraping edges adapted to remove foreign matter from the tongue, andalongitudin'al recess between such edges for retaining the matter soremoved while the device is being withdrawn troml the mouth.

5. it cleaningdevice of the charaeter described, con'iprlsing a handlejln'ovided with a laterally extending curved arm the} sides of which converge to a point, such sides of the arm being formed as scraping edges adapted to reinoveforcign"matter from the tongue, with a recess between such edges for retaining the matter so removed r-"hile the device is withdrawn from the mouth.

l-VILLIAM' FREDERICK OARROTT. 

